Published: November 05, 2009 08:32 am      

The East Texas Fishing Report

The East Texas Fishing Report for the week of November 2:

ATHENS — Lake Athens is about 7 inches high and stained. Water temp is in the low 60s.

Jerry Hanson at Lake Athens Marina said bass fishing has been fair. Best bite has been coming on drop shot rigs, Rat-L-Traps and shallow diving cranks worked from the bank out to eight feet.

Crappie fishing is good on live shiners soaked in 15 feet of water. Brush piles are the ticket. A few docks in about eight feet of water are holding fish. Catfish are fair on punch bait and frozen shad soaked in skinny water, mainly on points.

CEDAR CREEK — Cedar Creek is about normal level and stained. Water temp is in the low-60s.

Fishing guide Jason Barber said bass are scattered with good numbers relating to boat docks and retaining walls in 1-6 feet of water. Jigs, Texas rigs, cranks and spinnerbaits are producing plenty of bites.

Crappie are hanging tight to docks with brush in 6-10 feet of water. Minnows and jigs are working equally well. Bridges with brush in 15-20 feet of water also are holding fish.

Catfishing has been excellent on the north flats and in the mouths of running creeks in 3-5 feet of water using cut shad and punch bait. Drifting around main lake humps also has been producing some decent blues.

Hybrids and white bass are taking swim baits and Rat-L-Traps under well lit boat docks at night.

PALESTINE — Lake Palestine is about two feet high and stained to muddy. Water temp is in the low 60s.

Bass fishing has been fair. Fishing guide Ricky Vandergriff is picking up keepers to three pounds using Texas rigs plastics, Shimmy Shakers and jigs along creek channel breaks. The deeper boat docks with 10 feet of water and brush also are holding fish.

Vandergriff said crappie fishing has been fair on jigs and shiners fished around brushpiles in 12-14 feet of water. Catfish are good in the same areas, mainly on punch bait and cut shad.

RICHLAND CHAMBERS — RC is about eight inches high and stained. Water temp is in the low 60s.

Larry Winters at Midway Landing said catfishing has been excellent on rod and reel. Best bite has been up the major and secondary creeks using punch bait and cut shad in 2-4 feet of water. Moving water is the key.

Crappie are slow. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps worked in 2-6 feet of water around newly flooded grass. White bass are taking Rat-L-Traps worked beneath birds and pods of shad in 5-10 feet of water.

FORK — Lake Fork is a few inches high and stained up the creeks, clearer close to the dam. Water temp is in the low 60s.

Fishing guide Brooks Rogers said the bass bite has been slow as of late, because of current created by open gates at the dam. Rogers looks for things to pick back up this week. In shallow water, throw spinnerbaits, crankbaits and topwaters around grass beds in 2-6 feet of water. Drop shot rigs and spoons are the ticket in deeper water, 18-25 feet.

Rogers said crappie fishing has been good on live shiners soaked around bridge pilings and brush piles in 20-35 feet of water.

NACOGDOCHES — Lake Nacogdoches is at normal level and stained after heavy rains last week. Water temp is in the mid-60s.

Bass fishing has slowed somewhat with the rising water and high pressure, but should pick back up as things begin to stabilize. Areas with flooded grass in 3-12 feet of water in relation to channel breaks should be holding plenty of fish. Try crankbaits, Chatterbaits, weightless Senkos and spinnerbaits. Rat-L-Traps also could come into play.

Crappie has been hit and miss over deep brush piles. No limits reported.

TOLEDO BEND — Toledo Bend is about 18 inches high and falling slowly. Water temp is in the mid-60s.

Charlie Shively at Bill's Landing said catfishing has been excellent with the rising water. Good numbers of quality blue cats and channel cat reported on rod and reel and trotline. Best bite has been shallow, six feet or less, using punch bait, cut perch and shad.

Bass fishing has been sporadic. Anglers are reporting some decent results down south using Rat-L-Traps, spinnerbaits and Texas rigs around flooded grass in 3-12 feet of water. A few fish also reported on topwaters. Fishing guide Stephen Johnston said outside grass lines also have been productive during deep cranks and big spinnebaits.

Johston said the rising, dirty water conditions has taken the life out of the crappie bite.

SAM RAYBURN — The lake is a foot low and rising slowly with lots of stained water in the creeks and up north. Surface temp is in the low 60s.

Bass are scattered over hydrilla beds and shallow weeds submersed by the recent rise in water level. Ann Thomasson-Wilson said lipless crankbaits, shallow diving cranks and spinnerbaits are producing good results from the bank out to eight feet. A few fish taking topwaters. Light Texas rigs and jigs are working along outside grass lines in 12-14 feet of water.

Crappie are slow.

PINKSTON — Lake Pinkston about several feet above normal and muddy as the result of heavy rains last week, according to the Center water plant. Water temp is the low 60s.

 All fishing is slow.

— Matt Williams